BBC News - Star Wars make-up artist Stuart Freeborn dies aged 98, Feb 06, 2013

"Stuart Freeborn, the British make-up artist renowned for his contributions to 2001: A Space Odyssey and the Star Wars films, has died at the age of 98.
Largely self-taught, his six-decade career saw him create make-up and prosthetics for such cinematic legends as Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers.
One of his most famous creations was Yoda, the diminutive Jedi master first seen in 1980's The Empire Strikes Back.
Freeborn based Yoda's look on Albert Einstein, as well as his own features."

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BBC News - Kaspersky anti-virus cuts web access of thousands of PCs, Feb 06, 2013

"Thousands of computers running Microsoft's Windows XP operating system were unable to connect to the internet after installing an anti-virus update.
Users said they were also unable to access their internal company networks.
Russian IT security company Kaspersky Labs told users to disable its anti-virus software or roll back the update.
Two hours later it issued a fix - but since their PCs were unable to auto-install new code from the net, users had to perform several tasks first."

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BBC Nature - African elephants prefer Serengeti National Park, Feb 06, 2013

"Wild African elephants prefer to live in safer, protected areas and become stressed when they leave them.
Scientists have found African elephants living outside Serengeti National Park are more stressed than those within the protected area.
More elephants also choose to live inside the park, suggesting they "know" which areas are safer to live in, and actively avoid humans.
Details are published in the African Journal of Ecology.
Serengeti National Park helps protect animals from threats such as illegal hunting and habitat disturbance."

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BBC News - Comet Ison caught on film by Deep Impact craft, Feb 03, 2013

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/65731000/jpg/_65731652_de27.jpg

"A comet likely to light up the skies later this year has been filmed

 from afar by the Deep Impact spacecraft.
Comet Ison was only discovered in September 2012 by Russian astronomers.
Its path will put it spectacularly close to the Sun in November and if it does not burn up entirely, could be the "comet of the century".
It already has a 64,000km-long tail of dust and gas that will become visible to the naked eye later in the year - a trail scientists will study closely.
"This appears to be this comet's first-ever journey into the inner Solar System and it is expected to pass much closer to the Sun than most comets," said Tony Farnham of the University of Maryland.
"Thus it offers us a novel opportunity to see how the dust and gas frozen in this comet since the dawn of our Solar System will change and evolve as it is strongly heated during its first passage close to the Sun.""

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BBC News - Liberty Global to buy Virgin Media for $23.3bn, Feb 06, 2013

 "US billionaire John Malone's cable group, Liberty Global, has agreed to buy the UK's Virgin Media in a cash and stock deal worth $23.3bn (£15bn).
The deal will create the world's largest broadband company, with 25 million customers in 14 countries.
In the UK, it will be the second biggest pay-TV business after BSkyB.
The merger, subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, puts Mr Malone in competition with Rupert Murdoch, whose media empire owns 39% of BSkyB."

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BBC News - Suicide bombings hit central Syria town of Palmyra, Feb 06, 2013

 "Several people have been killed in twin suicide car bombings in the central Syrian town of Palmyra, reports say.
The official Sana news agency said the attack took place in a residential area in Palmyra, a town about 220km (140 miles) north-east of Damascus.
One activist group said a military intelligence building had been targeted and that at least 19 members of the security forces had died.
Meanwhile, heavy fighting has been reported in the east of the capital.
The local authorities closed Abbasid Square, a major roundabout, and Fares al-Khouri Street after rebel fighters attacked army roadblocks with rocket-propelled grenades and mortars, activists and witnesses said."

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BBC News - Falkland Islanders 'must decide own future', says Hague, Feb 06, 2013

 "It must be up to the people of the Falkland Islands to "decide their own future", William Hague has said after meeting islands' representatives.
The foreign secretary said he welcomed the results of the islanders' referendum on sovereignty in March.
He earlier met Jan Cheek and Dick Sawle, of the islands' legislative assembly, at the Foreign Office.
He added it was a "shame" Argentine foreign minister Hector Timerman had declined to attend that meeting."

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BBC News - Mexico hunts Acapulco Spanish tourist rape gang, Feb 06, 2013

 "Mexican authorities say they are determined to capture those responsible for the rape of six Spanish women near the holiday resort of Acapulco.
Masked gunmen burst into a rented beach house on Monday, tied up and held at gunpoint six Spanish men as they attacked the women for several hours.
A seventh woman escaped after telling the attackers she was a Mexican.
Acapulco is one of Mexico's most famous beach resorts, but it has recently suffered from drug-related violence.
"The attack will not go unpunished, as we are committed to catching those responsible," said a statement from the government of Guerrero state which includes Acapulco."

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BBC News - Bolshoi manager spars with dancer over attack on Filin, Feb 06, 2013

"The manager of the Bolshoi Theatre has sparred in a Russian magazine with a star dancer following the acid attack on artistic director Sergei Filin.
Anatoly Iksanov told Snob magazine the attack was the "natural consequence" of a chaotic situation created by dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze.
He also accused Tsiskaridze of helping to bring down former ballet director Gennady Yanin in 2011.
Tsiskaridze denied the accusations, and said he had only sympathy for Filin.
The Bolshoi's artistic director, badly injured in an acid attack last month, has left hospital in Moscow for further treatment in Germany."

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BBC News - Euro MPs back large-scale fishing reform to save stocks, Feb 06, 2013

"The European Parliament has voted for sweeping reforms of the controversial EU Common Fisheries Policy.
The package includes measures to protect endangered stocks and end discards - the practice of throwing unwanted dead fish into the sea.
Wasteful discards are reckoned to account for a quarter of total catches under the current quota system.
There are hopes that the changes can become law by next year, after more talks with the 27 EU governments."

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BBC News - North Korea propaganda taken off YouTube after Activision complaint, Feb 06, 2013

"A propaganda video from the North Korean authorities has been removed from YouTube following a copyright claim by games maker Activision.
The clip showed a young man dreaming about a North Korean space shuttle destroying a city that resembles New York.
But the footage of burning buildings was taken from Activision's top selling game, Call of Duty.
North Korea insists its space programme is for peaceful purposes.
But the country's intent - particularly towards South Korea - has raised concerns leader Kim Jong-un has plans for a ballistic missile system.
The video was posted on Saturday by North Korea's official Pyongyang YouTube channel."

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BBC News - China bans luxury gift adverts in austerity push, Feb 06, 2013

"China has announced a ban on radio and TV adverts which encourage extravagant gift-giving, saying they promote incorrect values, state media report.
The move is part of a government campaign to crack down on corruption and extravagance.
Expensive watches, gold coins and liquor are among the items affected, said the Xinhua news agency.
The giving of gifts, often to gain favour with officials, is common during lunar new year, which begins next week.
But China's TV watchdog, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (Sarft), said that adverts on some channels had been encouraging people to give luxury items."

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BBC News - Japan-China islands dispute: Abe condemns radar lock, Feb 06, 2013

 "Japan's prime minister has called the decision by a Chinese frigate to put a radar lock on a Japanese navy ship a "dangerous act".
Shinzo Abe told parliament the move could have led to an "unpredictable situation" and called for Chinese "self-restraint".
The incident happened near disputed East China Sea islands last week.
The Chinese foreign ministry said it was not aware of the details, but said Japan should stop "illegal" activities.
"In recent days, Japan has on many occasions deployed aircraft and ships and illegally entered Chinese waters around the Diaoyu Islands," spokeswoman Hua Chunying said."

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BBC News - Stafford Hospital: Hiding mistakes 'should be criminal offence', Feb 06, 2013

 "NHS staff should face prosecution if they are not open and honest about mistakes, according to a public inquiry into failings at Stafford Hospital.
Years of abuse and neglect at the hospital led to the unnecessary deaths of hundreds of patients.
But inquiry chairman, Robert Francis QC, said the failings went right to the top of the health service.
He made 290 recommendations, saying "fundamental change" was needed to prevent the public losing confidence.
His report comes after the families of victims have voiced anger that no-one has been sufficiently punished for their roles.
Senior managers were able to leave the trust with little sanction, while most doctors and nurses involved have escaped censure from their professional regulators."

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BBC News - Libor scandal: RBS fined £390m, Feb 06, 2013

 "Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has been fined £390m ($610m) by UK and US authorities for its part in the Libor rate-fixing scandal.
The UK's Financial Services Authority issued a fine of £87.5m, while about £300m will be paid to US regulators and the US Department of Justice.
The fines are £100m greater than those issued to banking rival Barclays last year for similar offences.
RBS chairman Sir Philip Hampton said it was a "sad day" for the bank.
Chancellor George Osborne called the behaviour of traders "totally unacceptable" and said the bank, rather than taxpayers, would be paying the fines.
RBS is still 81% owned by the taxpayer, four years on from a massive government bailout.
The bank said that the £300m owed to US authorities would be paid using money clawed back from bonuses already paid, and reductions to future bonuses.
Last year Barclays was fined £290m and Swiss bank UBS will pay out £940m to regulators for its Libor manipulation offences.
RBS said it had uncovered wrongdoing by 21 employees, who had now been disciplined or left the bank."

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BBC News - Tunisia: Chokri Belaid assassination prompts protests, Feb 06, 2013

 "Tunisian opposition politician Chokri Belaid has been shot dead outside his home in the capital, Tunis.
Relatives say Mr Belaid was shot in the neck and head on his way to work.
He was a prominent secular opponent of the moderate Islamist-led government and his murder has sparked protests around the country, with police firing tear gas to disperse angry crowds.
President Moncef Marzouki has condemned the killing and is cutting short a visit to France to return home."

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BAM -New York City Opera's Powder Her Face, Feb 06, 2013

 "New York City Opera
Composed by Thomas Adés
Conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer
Directed by Jay Scheib

Inspired by the real-life sex scandal that rocked Britain in the early 60s, English composer Thomas Adès' 1995 chamber opera returns to BAM 15 years after its New York premiere at the BAM Majestic Theater (now the BAM Harvey Theater).  In this new production from New York City Opera, director Jay Scheib presents his genre-defying vision, integrating technology and daring physicality to this modern opera that plays off the public's obsession with the tabloid controversy surrounding a series of Polaroid photos of Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll, dubbed the “Dirty Duchess."

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BBC News - Dark Matter: Experiment to shed light on dark particles, Feb 06, 2013

 "In a man-made cavern, deep beneath a mountain, scientists are hoping to shed light on one of the most mysterious substances in our Universe - dark matter.
The Gran Sasso National Laboratory seems more like a Bond villain's lair than a hub for world class physics.
It's buried under the highest peak of Italy's Gran Sasso mountain range; the entrance concealed behind a colossal steel door found halfway along a tunnel that cuts through the mountain."

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BBC News - Who, What, Why: What is the method for reconstructing Richard III's face? Feb 06, 2013

 "Bones found in a Leicester car park have been confirmed by DNA testing as those of Richard III. But what was the technique scientists used to reconstruct his face?
The only thing scientists had to go on was a skull. No portraits of the king done during his reign survive.
And yet scientists have built a model of Richard III's face. How?
Richard died in 1485 but his bones are well preserved. This doesn't surprise anthropologists as in the right conditions - soil with low acidity and few bugs - bones remain pristine for thousands of years.
The team of scientists at Dundee University doing the facial reconstruction never got near the bones. They were sent CT scans and photographs of the skull, which they ran through a computer programme.
At this point no-one knew if it was Richard III or not, says Caroline Wilkinson, Dundee University's professor of craniofacial identification. It was crucial to ignore any existing preconceptions about what Richard looked like. The shape of the face had to be based entirely on the scans."

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BBC News - The Indian women pushed into hysterectomies, Feb 06, 2013

 "Thousands of Indian women are having their wombs removed in operations that campaigners say are unnecessary and only performed to make money for unscrupulous private doctors.
Sunita is uncertain of her exact age but thinks she's about 25 years old. I met her in a small village in Rajasthan, north-west India, surrounded by chewing cattle and birdsong. She was covered in jewellery, from a nose-stud and rings to bangles which jangled when she gestured with her hand.
Her face hardens when she tells me about her operation.
"I went to the clinic because I had heavy bleeding during menstruation," she says.
"The doctor did an ultrasound and said I might develop cancer. He rushed me into having a hysterectomy that same day.""

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BBC News - Tunisian politician Chokri Belaid shot dead in Tunis, Feb 06, 2013

 "Tunisian opposition politician Chokri Belaid has been shot dead outside his home in the capital, Tunis.
Relatives say Mr Belaid was shot in the neck and head on his way to work.
He was a prominent secular opponent of the moderate Islamist-led government and his assassination has sparked protests in towns around the country.
President Moncef Marzouki has cut short a visit to France and cancelled a scheduled appearance at a summit in Egypt to return home."

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BBC News - France action in Mali is real war, says Le Drian, Feb 06, 2013

 "French forces are embroiled in a "real war" with "terrorists" around the Malian town of Gao, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has said.
Islamist militants were swept from Gao last month, but Mr Le Drian said clashes were continuing in the area.
French forces were deployed nearly a month ago to combat al-Qaeda-linked militants who had taken over Mali's desert northern regions.
Paris says it wants to begin pulling out its 4,000 troops in March.
The Mali militants have been routed and cleared from most of the population centres."

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BBC News - CIA operating drone base in Saudi Arabia, US media reveal, Feb 06, 2013

 "The US Central Intelligence Agency has been operating a secret airbase for unmanned drones in Saudi Arabia for the past two years.
The facility was established to hunt for members of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which is based in Yemen.
A drone flown from there was used in September 2011 to kill Anwar al-Awlaki, a US-born cleric who was alleged to be AQAP's external operations chief.
US media have known of its existence since then, but have not reported it.
Senior government officials had said they were concerned that disclosure would undermine operations against AQAP, as well as potentially damage counter-terrorism collaboration with Saudi Arabia.
The US military pulled out virtually all of its troops from Saudi Arabia in 2003, having stationed between 5,000 and 10,000 troops in the Gulf kingdom after the 1991 Gulf war. Only personnel from the United States Military Training Mission (USMTM) officially remain."

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IB TIMES - 8.0 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off Solomon Islands, Feb 06, 2013

"The quake occurred at a depth nearly 3.6 miles (5.8 km) close to the Santa Cruz Islands, which are part of the Solomon Islands nation, according to the USGS. This was later revised to a much deeper 17 miles (28.7 km).
The epicenter of the quake occurred 347 km east of Kira Kira in the Solomons, Reuters added.
A three-foot wave hit the island of Lata, and One News of New Zealand quoted the director of nursing at Lata Hospital, Augustine Bilve, saying some villages have been destroyed by the tsunami.
"According to the information I have there are three villages close to Lata, but it's more likely that other villages along the coast of Santa Cruz would also be affected.""

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